Kilkea Castle Wedding Videographer
A discreet, documentary-style wedding film at one of Ireland's oldest inhabited castles, down in Castledermot at the southern end of Kildare.
Eight hundred years of other people's celebrations
There has been a castle on this spot since 1180, when Walter de Riddlesford put up a motte and bailey here. The keep standing today is largely 15th century, and the manor stayed in FitzGerald hands for something like 700 years before it became a hotel. It now sits at the centre of a 180 acre estate at Kilkea Demesne, just outside Castledermot, with a golf course and the River Greese running through the grounds.
Eight centuries of other people's gatherings is a hard thing for a newer venue to compete with, and at Kilkea it shows in the building rather than in the marketing.
I filmed a wedding here in August 2026. It's a "proper" castle: battlements, a clock tower over the courtyard, and a flag that tells you exactly how much wind you are dealing with before you take a camera outside.
I work documentary style: compact equipment, no staging, no directing, and a habit of blending into the background that couples tend to mention afterwards. A castle is exactly the kind of venue that tempts a videographer into making a production of the setting. I would rather the castle stayed the backdrop and you stayed the subject.
Where Kilkea weddings actually happen
Kilkea gives you a few different rooms depending on the size of the day, and they film very differently from one another.
The Baronial Hall sits beneath the 12th century castle and seats up to 270, so it is the room for a big Irish wedding. Restaurant 1180 takes up to 60 and looks out over the castle gardens, and Hermione's holds 120 with a view over the ninth hole of the golf course.
Whichever room you end up in, the evenings here run on candlelight rather than overhead lighting. That looks lovely in person and it is the part of the day that separates a videographer who has been here from one who has not.
Planning a wedding at Kilkea
A few things worth knowing about filming here:
- The formal gardens in front of the castle are the strongest outdoor backdrop on the estate, and they are a short walk from the door rather than a drive.
- It is 180 acres with a golf course running through it, so if you want photographs or footage out on the grounds it is worth checking what is on that day.
- Castledermot is a fair spin from Dublin, so if most of your guests are travelling, the on-site rooms are doing more work than they would at a city venue.
- The reception rooms are candlelit in the evening. That is the right call for the room, and it is worth knowing your videographer is comfortable in low light.
- The food is absolutely delicious!
Marrying elsewhere in the county? See my Kildare wedding videographer page. For the practical side, there's my wedding videography service and wedding video prices.
You can see more of my work in the wedding film portfolio.
Getting married at Kilkea Castle?
Tell me your date and I'll let you know if I'm free. No pressure, no hard sell, just a friendly chat about your day.
Check Your Wedding Date!